USA gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte on Friday apologised for his behaviour at the Olympics after being accused by Brazilian police of inventing a story about an armed robbery to cover for some bad behaviour at a gas station.
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Rio Games organizers hope the swimmers’ atonement, combined with an official apology from the U.S. Olympic Committee, will draw a line under a controversy that has dominated news coverage of South America’s first Olympics and embarrassed the host city.
“I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself, and for that am sorry to my team mates”, he said on Instagram.
“I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons”, Lochte said in the statement.
“I am very proud to represent my country in Olympic competition and this was a situation that could and should have been avoided”, Lochte said in his statement. While the authorities initially claimed no guns were drawn on the Americans, the story eventually changed to two security guards that drew their weapons.
The swimmers’ accusations were an embarrassment for Rio officials, and police quickly began questioning Lochte’s claims. The quad squad continued to be contentious prompting one security officer to pull out his gun.
“I was like ‘whatever, ‘” Lochte said in his initial account.
Bentz and Conger answered questions for several hours at a Rio police station Thursday before flying out.
Damage is done! This marketing speech won’t save it. Btw, you were held under gun point to control yourselves ’cause you were all insane drunk breaking stuff at the gas station!
During a press conference on Thursday, Rio’s Chief of Civil Police Fernando Velaso told the media that “there was no robbery ” at gunpoint, like the Olympian had claimed.
Lochte, Bentz and Conger have returned to the United States, but Feigen remains in Brazil.
Lochte and the other swimmers could face sanctions from USA Swimming, including fines or suspension.
The three were accused of lying to the police over the matter that infuriated Games organisers and the people of Brazil as they’ve accused the Americans of sullying the country’s reputation.
Veloso said the swimmers broke a door, a soap dispenser and a mirror.
Though the United States committee apologized, the statement still largely corroborates Lochte’s account: The four were in a taxi, a gun was brandished and money was exchanged.
But police said the swimmers were intoxicated, giving accounts full of murky details and in conflict with one another.
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Swimsuit company Speedo, one of Lochte’s long-time sponsors, said in an emailed statement, “Speedo is following the situation, and has a policy not to comment on ongoing legal investigations”.
